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I'm trying to find a wedding dress and have been to two shops. They were very different, the second shop had dresses off the rail/peg. They are half the price and I'm interested in them as I don't want to spend too much on a dress, I am in my early 50-ies. I have been told in the shop that alterations will be between 100 and 200/300 pounds. Does anyone have any first hand experience. I would like to know what to add to the budget for alterations. I appreciate that it depends on how much needs doing.

That helps a lot. I'm not into this at all as some young girls who know years before they are getting married what dress they want. First shop was all in and second shop seems very reasonable and is as you describe. I just wanted to make sure that what I had been told was about right. Thanks very much.

I paid £120 for the dress to be taken in round the bust and a button and hook thing added so the train could be hooked up in the evening. It might be cheaper to find someone independent of the bridal shop but read revised / go on recommendations. If the seamstress messes the dress up it could be a write off depending on the style.

I have considered normal dresses but I don't like shopping very much and wouldn't know where these kind of shops are or what I want and still look enough 'bride'. I have accepted that bridal shops tend to just do the very stereotypical thing, there is not much choice. If you want short you get fifties teadresses as an option they don't suit me. I just want it over it's sooo much work a wedding and stressful. Looking at one around £500 plus alterations. How much would a non-standard wedding dress be? I wouldn't have thought it's much less. I'll just be princess for a day then, not really me but hey. Thanks everyone for your contributions.

I'm looking at £500 plus alterations. How much would a made to order one be, it must take a long time to make them. I once had silk curtains made with fabric that I got for a good price, that already was a lots of money, but at least the curtains are still in use....

Looking at one around £500 plus alterations. How much would a non-standard wedding dress be? I wouldn't have thought it's much less. I'll just be princess for a day then, not really me but hey. Thanks everyone for your contributions.

I believe Coast do some dresses that might be suitable too. Although you don't like shopping, trick is trying them on. I tried in loads of wedding dresses I thought I liked, didn't like any on enough, the shop persuaded me to try one I didn't like and guess what....bingo! It was the perfect dress...and a bonus was the only alteration as such needed was two loops being added in the back for my bra to put the back straps through (pretty sure I wasn't even charged for that).
You're the one in the dress for the day so make sure it's what you like and are happy with, not ticking boxes for other people. Best of luck with the wedding.

Not quite the same thing, but I needed a Mother of the Groom dress and I just hate shopping, and dressing up for that matter. I found an Ann Balon dress on ebay. They retail at around £600/700 pounds new. I got it for under £200 and it is stunning. You could honestly wear it as a wedding dress. Italian lace, mermaid tail and with a matching jacket. They come in the most lovely colours, hang beautifully and never crease. Take a look, you may find something that catches your eye.

Hope your wedding goes wonderfully and you have a very happy marriage.

If you are not that into dresses how about a suit? A friend got married last year and she has never been a dress sort of person so she wore a beautiful suit instead, she really did look stunning on the day and was a lot more comfortable and confident than she would have been in a dress.

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